Chapter Sixteen – Something He Said

Greg Nichols felt stuffed as he walked onto the platform having ditched the bag and decided to have all the money stashed in the suit. Unlike his unfriendly colleague, Jonathan Forbes, he had the advantage of being anonymous in the eyes of the local police. Still he felt uncomfortable among the crowd waiting for the train to arrive.

He had no doubt that Forbes would be there somewhere but he doubted the man would try anything among the villagers and passengers. That was one of the main reasons as to why he kept himself close to a large theatre company that chattered happily amongst themselves.

Nichols stiffened as he saw two police constables walk onto the platform but forced himself to calm down. This was nor the time or the place to blow any cover.

OOOOOO

"I must say Mr. Blaketon, Mr. Nolan and of course Mrs. Jowett, that I'm impressed as of what I have seen here today," one of the delegates said as he lit a cigar.

"Thank you, sir," Oscar replied.

"As to answer your underlying question, which is in fact the only reason why we're here in such small community," the man drawled as he puffed on his cigar. "The numbers are not overly positive but on a market like this they meet the demands. Therefore I'm pleased to give you a preliminary status report which will most likely stand when the board has read through it. The Aidensfield Station will be open for business until further notice."

Uncommonly for the three present members of the council they shared a satisfied smile.

Oscar Blaketon was particularly pleased that he didn't address his lordship about lending his land to a charity event so soon after the murder and attempted murder as the whistle of the train echoed close by.

"Here she comes," Nolan said with a plastered smile as he turned to the trio from the railway. "Please come and visit us again some time."

OOOOOO

Greg Nichols plopped down on the bench in an empty coupe and let out a relieved breath. However, his relief was short lived as the door flew open, causing him to jump.

"So," Forbes said in a low and dangerous voice. "You thought there was an escape route for you here?"

"How," Nichols managed in surprise.

"Now, now, Nichols. I'm not some silly little boy used to take orders. I act in my own interest and right now my only interest is the money I know you're carrying with you," he said.

"What money?" Nichols asked, appearing dumbfounded.

A faint sad smile crept over Forbes' lips as he went to stand opposite the other man. In one swift movement he had Nichols up against the wall, his arm effectively cutting off the other man's air supply.

"Don't give me that crap, Nichols," he chided. "First it was Carter deciding to jump ship and do a little solo dance and then you came along to finish him off. But what you didn't know was that Lowey didn't trust you enough to correct Carter's mistake. You're a black sheep, Nichols, there's no place for you amongst the rest."

"That's your words, your version, Forbes," Nichols panted, struggling for breath. "I trust no one but Lowey himself. Never held you high enough…"

Forbes cut off his mockery as he increased his pressure on the other man's windpipe, angered by the statement.

"Right," a third, sharp, voice broke through their concentration. "I think we've heard enough."

Forbes was cold and calculative as he threw Nichols at the two CID officers standing in the doorway but there was no place for him to go and within seconds he was cuffed and read the rights.

"So," DI Shiner said, looking awfully smug. "I believe you two gentlemen will have a long and nice stay at the prison. And this time I think Lowey will follow you."

DC Thomas, the other arresting officer, nodded at Crane and Bellamy who stood just outside the slightly open window, on the platform. "Good call. You overheard everything?" He asked.

"Every word of it," Bellamy assured him.

OOOOOO

When he woke up the third time it was bright and sunny outside the hospital windows. Dennis Merton groaned as he shifted slightly in bed and gritted his teeth as pain, and annoyance at his own predicament, created a gloom over him.

Despite all the years in the police force; the CID branch and as a uniformed officer in the early years up in Scotland, he'd never really had any accidents or close calls. Sure he'd gotten into scrapes a few times but it had never been something like this.

Unsurprisingly he'd been thinking about nothing else for the last twenty-four-hours. Colleagues had told him that brushes with what could have been death had changed them but he'd never really listened, never really believed them. Now he was ready to do just that. Suddenly some things seemed so small, so unnecessarily to deal with.

Dennis had never appreciated what he'd had, or at least he'd never thought much about it, except for his career. Now his life contained so much more. It was so rich in ways he couldn't even dream about a couple of years before. For example he had a warm and caring wife.

Jenny had been with him as much as she could, not letting him out of sight when she was visiting.

Listening to her it sounded like she expected him to die any minute, her concern for him was touchable yet so misguided in a sense. He'd only been shoot in the arm for heaven's sake. But then again, for a while he'd been sure he was dying back there in the barn. Ironically his life could very well have ended back there because the gun in Nichols' hand had wavered. Maybe it was just pure luck that Nichols hadn't hit anything else while pulling the trigger. Maybe Jenny had every right to be concerned about him. Dennis kept thinking about it, unable to stop.

At one time Liz had visited briefly, asking how he was doing. She'd told him he was lucky and he'd replied that he didn't feel lucky.

The curly haired doctor had chuckled at him and placed a hand on his shoulder to give it a comforting squeeze. According to her he was doing better but there would be some time before he was back on his feet and then some before he could return to duty. He'd lost a fair amount of blood and his ribs had received quite a bruising due to the fight he'd been involved in.

Soberly Dennis had quietly told her that the gun had been wavering before it went off and that it could have ended much worse. He also admitted that he should have handled everything differently if he'd had another chance. Then he'd begged Liz not to mention any of that to Jenny since he didn't want to worry her further. He reasoned that what happened was history now and that there was no point in dwelling on it. The doctor had silently agreed and left him to rest.

The conversation with the doctor had occurred almost eight hours ago, late at night when Jenny had finally gone home to rest. He'd slept badly through the night afterwards and he ached all over the place. Doctor Smith, his physician at the hospital, had told him it was common to feel weak and tired during the first week of the recovery. Since he'd lost so much blood he could also be experiencing nausea. On his own account he felt that the bruising on his chest would no doubt bother him for some time as he found out that taking deep breaths sent a burning fire down his side. He gasped as he tried to rise his upper body into a more siting position on the hospital bed and gingerly eased himself down again.

"Dennis," a sharp voice acknowledged by way of greeting.

Merton's eyes quickly settled on the sturdy, short man walking into his private hospital room. "DI Shiner," he said.

"I just thought you should know that both Forbes and Nichols have been arrested, courtesy of a good cooperation between CID and the North Riding Constabulary – more precisely Ashfordly Police Station," he let on with a curt nod.

Dennis nodded back with a faint smile but he said nothing, instead it was the DI who continued.

"John Lowey was arrested and brought into custody yesterday evening. The Liverpool police and our local CID department there is confident he will spend time inside for a long time. Charlie Carter will be moved down to the General Hospital in Liverpool where his victim ironically worked."

"I'm glad to hear everything will work out then," Dennis said.

Shiner nodded where he stood, just inside the door, and then walked across the room to sit down next to the sergeant in the visitor's chair.

He looked thoughtful for a while. "It's a shame you left CID, Dennis," Shiner said suddenly. "I can partly understand why you did what you did. But afterwards - thinking it through - wouldn't it have been better to bring in another senior officer and explain it all to him?"

Dennis pursed his lips into a thin line of displeasure, suddenly looking awkward and regretful. "It was a moment –" He trailed off, glancing down at his hands. "I can't take it back. What is done is done."

Shiner nodded. "If you hadn't punched that superior officer of yours, Merton, you would have gotten fine recommendations and earned yourself the rank of detective sergeant rapidly. Frankly, the man you brought in was a very heavy criminal with wide connections and would have proven an embarrassment to the force should he not have been caught."

Dennis raised his head and leveled his eyes with the high ranking CID officer. "Is there a point in you telling me this after several years, sir?" He asked curiously yet his voice sounded weak and tired.

"There's an opening. You would be back as a DC at first but it wouldn't take long for you to claim the rank you should have been given before the incident," Shiner let on. "I would be putting in a good word for you."

A cautious grin appeared on his pale face and he didn't know if he should laugh out loud or cry at the statement but the man sitting next to him was so deadly serious that neither of it would be recommended.

"I appreciate your efforts, sir. I really do," he said thoughtfully, his grin disappearing and he turned serious. "However, that's all in the past. Had you asked me earlier I would have jumped at the opportunity you're giving me but I've grown accustomed to this place and I've got a wife here. For the first time in my life I think I've been able to balance the life as a police officer with a private life and I'm happy as it is.

Shiner nodded.

"I'm not taking your offer lightly, Martin," he said, daring to use the superior officer's forename. "I never thought I would say this, and I can't believe I'm actually saying it now, but punching that officer might have been a lucky strike for me."

Shiner huffed. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head, Dennis," he said sternly but it was with a twinkle in his eyes. "Because I can't believe I'm hearing it."

They looked at each other for a moment and came to a silent agreement. Shiner did understand him and secretly wished his wife had been more understanding to his work than she'd been when they were still married. He did recall married life even though it was a long time ago and the more time that past the more he longed for it.

Shiner rose slowly from the chair and nodded at Merton. "The offer will not come back, Dennis, but I understand your reasoning," he said as he saw Jenny Merton coming toward them with a large bouquet of flowers resting in her hand. Take care now, Sergeant Merton."

"You too, sir," he said.

"Mrs. Merton," Shiner acknowledged politely as he walked out of the room.

"DI Shiner," Jenny returned as she watched him leave and then walked over to her husband to sit next to him on the bed, placing the flowers in a vase on the table nearby.

She gently placed a soft peck on his cheek and took his hand in hers. "You look awfully pleased," she said jovially.

"Something he said," Dennis let on cryptically.

OOOOOO

16/18

To be continued

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